Exploring the food scene in Polk County, FLorida

Lakeland: Sal’s Pizza

We had lunch recently at Sal’s Pizza in deep south Lakeland, in the Highland City area. So far south, the town of Mulberry is across the street. They do have a second location (I’m assuming it’s the same owners, their online menu is the same), both are in south Lakeland.

The interior is classic pizzeria, with red-and-white checked tablecloths and even a fireplace (not wood-burning, though I believe their pizzas are wood-fired). The menu includes appetizers, salads, seafood, subs, calzones, and pasta dishes in addition to New York style and deep dish pizzas. Service was friendly and attentive, Sal himself waited on us and provided great service.

We started with a meatball appetizer. It came with 3 meatballs and a bread stick in sauce. The meatballs were perfectly cooked and clearly freshly made. The breadstick, thankfully, wasn’t doused in butter or cheese. The sauce had a lot of flavor, with some meat in it, probably beef, and not too acidic.

My wife ordered spaghetti carbonara. The dish came with 3 garlic knots – delicious and not too greasy. Again, it all seemed freshly made. The bacon was cooked well and the pasta was al dente. The sauce was made with heavy cream, which tasted great but she rarely eats cream-based sauce so it was too rich for her tastes. She prefers lighter sauces, but if you like cream-sauce based dishes, you would very likely enjoy this. This was the lunch-sized portion and there was enough to bring some home.

I ordered a large bacon, tomato, and garlic pizza. I normally would have ordered a smaller, personal pizza, but I wanted leftovers so I ordered the large. At first, I thought the toppings seemed pretty light, but once I ate the pizza I was very happy with the combination of flavors. Small pieces of bacon mixed with the garlic and tomato nicely. The sauce and cheese were not overdone. The crust had just the right blend of crispy and chewy.

So we were very happy with Sal’s Pizza. Our total, with tip, was a little over $38 (we had iced tea and a Diet Coke to drink). Of course, this would be less for most people since I ordered the large pizza for myself. There were some $5.95 lunch specials, also. The food was excellent, and we enjoyed the service and ambience. It’s definitely someplace where we would like to return to explore more of the menu. Sal’s Pizza is located on County Road 540A (if you’re not familiar with the area, the A is important!) at Bartow Road in Highland City. Enjoy!